The employed female population reached 1,6 million in the city of Rio. Photo: Press Release
Data from 2025 shows that 1,5 million households in Rio de Janeiro were headed by women, equivalent to 53% of all residences. This number reinforces a growing trend over the last decade. In 2016, women headed 1,1 million households, representing 47,4% of families. The information was compiled by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall, through the Municipal Secretariat of Economic Development (SMDE) and the Special Secretariat for Policies for Women and Care of Rio, based on IBGE data, in the context of Women's Month.
According to the study, Black women headed 51,6% (749,0) of households in the city, compared to 48,0% (696,5) headed by white women. The increase in the number of women workers, both formal and informal, in the labor market explains the higher percentage of households headed by women. On average, in the last 5 years, 304,5 women have found employment, with a weekly work schedule of around 38,2 hours.
The survey shows us that women are gaining job opportunities, and this helps to increase these rates, in addition to cultural factors, of course. It is essential to keep the economy active, as it is the best way to generate employment and income for the population," explains Osmar Lima, municipal secretary of Economic Development.
Rio has 3,6 million women, representing 53,2% of the population. Almost half of the women (50,6%) self-identify as white, and the other half (49,4%) as black (both black and mixed-race). Of the employed women, 51,6% self-identify as white and 48,4% identify as black (both black and mixed-race).
When more than half of the city's households are supported by women, talking about female employability is talking about social justice. Guaranteeing access to work, income, and autonomy means strengthening entire families and also reducing vulnerabilities, including domestic violence. The more economic freedom women have, the more they are able to decide about their own lives. Our role in public power is to expand opportunities so that this autonomy transforms into dignity and independence," says Joyce Trindade, Secretary of Policies for Women and Care in Rio.
